Keys To Her Heart (Brookfield) (2 page)

“Perfect,” the pregnant one said with an apologetic smile.

Lily grabbed the tray and escaped to the kitchen. At least now she had a few minutes to breathe, and hope the next time she checked on the table, they’d have forgotten she’d made such a fool of herself.

“New table.” Kathy leaned her head into the kitchen. “You want it?”

Lily shook her head. She needed the money, but she needed to compose herself more.

“What’s going on?” Mike asked from the window. “You don’t seem yourself.”

“I’m not sure. I’m having a very off day.” To say the least. Everything had changed since the attractive man had taken a seat in her section.

“Lunch will be over soon. Maybe you can leave.”

Lily wanted to go home, or did she? Home almost felt like a prison these days. At least while she was here, she was away from reality. Somewhat.

“Hey, Lily.” Kathy came into the frontline again. “Table twelve with the kid needs you.”

What did they want now?  Couldn’t they just eat and leave? “Thanks.”

She went back to the dreaded table. This day just wasn’t going to end. “How is everything?”

“Can I get a to-go box? He’s being really fussy about eating and making a mess. I think its best I just go.” The dark haired woman looked at the guy. “I’m sorry, Cody.”

He had a name. Cody. It fit him.

“It’s no problem.” He looked relieved.

“Does anyone else need a box?”
Say yes and go, please.

The pregnant one laughed. “I will eat this. Don’t worry.”

Cody shook his head, avoiding eye contact as he cut into his meat.

Lily went over to a wait station and grabbed two to-go containers and came back, handing them to the mother. “Is this all on one check, or separate?”

“I’ll get it all.” The pregnant one picked up her water cup. “You can pay me back next time, Diane.”

“Thank you.” She dumped the grilled cheese and fries into the white box.

“Okay, well, let me know if you need anything else.” She fidgeted with the front string on her apron.

As she walked away, she heard the two women giggling. Was it at her? Surely not. Though, it was entirely possible, with as klutzy as she’d been.

She stopped by her other two tables, grabbing the dirty dishes. She needed to get their checks to them and then they’d be on their way. After dumping the dishes in the designated area, she went over to the computer to get everything printed.

“The school just called.” Kathy walked over. “Gunther threw up and they need you to come get him.”

“What?” Sick? That was the last thing she needed.
Come on life, get better
.

“Go lay the tickets on the tables. I’ll finish up for you.” Kathy squeezed her shoulder. “I’ve been here forever, I can handle it. Go be with your son.”

“Thank you.” Lily finished printing the tickets, laid them on the first two tables then headed over to Cody’s table. “I’m going to set this down. My son is sick and I need to go get him. Kathy will help if you need anything.”

Only Cody and the pregnant one sat there now.

“So sorry to hear that,” the woman said.

“Have a great birthday.” She gazed at Cody and his handsomeness almost made her squirm when his eyes met hers. “I didn’t charge you for your meal.”

“You don’t have to—”

“No, no. It’s the least I can do.” Lily smiled, hoping it would get him not to object anymore. “Have a great afternoon. I’ve got to go.”

Lily turned and pulled her apron off. She clocked out and then went outside into the snow. Just as she slid into her car, her phone beeped with a new text.

Your mom is ill with a stomach virus.

Great. Just what her mom needed. Crap, and Gunther was sick, too. Hopefully she wasn’t next.

Chapter Two

“Duncan, there’s an accident on Elm,” Sheriff Seth Hampton said as he approached Cody’s desk. “Can you go?”

The snow had been worse than expected yesterday. Although, it had been more ice than the snow. “Yeah. No problem.”

Cody grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair and left the station. Elm Street was short and the police station was on it. He only had to walk about tens steps and he was at the accident scene. He slipped his jacket on as he approached the accident.

“Is everyone okay?” he asked as he took in what appeared to be a small fender bender.

“Yes, thankfully,” A guy in his twenties said. “It was my fault. I wasn’t looking.”

Admitting fault? Did people ever do that? “Is the other person okay?”

“Yeah, she’s just helping her kid.”

Cody glanced toward the other car, but couldn’t get a good look to know if he knew the woman. “What happened?”

“I did a roll stop assuming no one was coming, but when I saw her I hit the brakes and my tires slid on ice, causing me to hit her.”

“You know, stop signs are meant for you to stop.” Roll stop. Cody barely refrained from rolling his eyes. People acted like it was okay. It wasn’t.

The young guy nodded and rubbed his hands together, “Yes, sir. I know.”

From where he stood, the damage to either vehicle was minimal. Cody took the insurance card from the young man and surveyed the damage a little more for his report.  It didn’t look like a tow truck or EMT would be needed, but he better check with the woman first.

Her back was to him as she bent forward comforting the crying child. He couldn’t help but check out her round ass. Where did he know that butt from?

He cleared his throat to alert her he was there. “Is he okay?”

“Yeah, just shook up,” she said, her head still inside the car.

“Maybe bring him out of the car and let him see,” he suggested.

She stepped back and he caught a glimmer of red hair. The little boy popped out of the car first, eyes wet. Then she turned and he recognized her instantly.  He
’d never forget a face as stunning as hers. “Lily, right?”

She nodded, and after a moment he could see she recognized him from the diner yesterday. “You’re a police officer?”

“I am.” He bent down to eye level with the little boy.

“I dropped my Legos and they broke
,” her son said, more upset about the toy than the accident.

Cody always felt bad for the kids. They never understood why these things happened, or always exactly what happened. “It is scary. Do you need me to call someone out to look at you? Does anything hurt?”

The little guy shook his head.

“What’s your name?”

“Gunther.”

“Well, Gunther, if you need to see a doctor, just let your mommy know, okay?”

“Okay.” He stayed close to his mom.

Cody stood, hoping he could remain professional when he just wanted to wrap his arms around this woman and comfort her. “Are you all right?”

She nervously twirled a lock of her hair. “I am. It was just a little bump. I don’t really see any damage. I think it just scared him.”

Her eyes were slightly wet and she kept rubbing her arms. She was as shaken up as her son, but doing her best to stay strong.

“Let me get this written up and get you all on your way.” He walked around, checking out the areas that had collided. He drew a rough image on the report, and noted each of the insurances. Usually he’d give a ticket to the guy about the stop sign, but he was feeling generous today, so he let him go with a warning. Everyone made mistakes and had bad days.

The young guy left a few minutes later. Cody walked over to Lily and handed her a card with the case number on it. “The report should be ready in the next forty-eight hours.”

“Thanks.” She tucked it into her pocket then placed an arm around Gunther. “How was your birthday?”

He’d spent the evening at home alone, watching TV and drinking a beer. Perfect. “It was good.”

Lily chewed on her bottom lip and fidgeted on her feet.

“You’re good to go,” Cody said and pulled his jacket together in the front. It was colder out here then he thought.

She nodded, but still stood there. Did she have something to say? Was she worried she couldn’t drive?

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

His fingers were losing feeling. He really wished she just spit out whatever it was.

“This is forward.” She took a deep breath and was quiet again.

He didn’t understand. Maybe she bumped her head on the steering wheel. “What is?”

She removed her arm from her son. “Gunther, go wait in the car.”

“I don’t want to, Mom.”

Cody couldn’t blame the kid. Getting back in the car was probably the last thing he wanted. “If I wasn’t working, I’d take you two to have something to eat.” Not that Seth would care. He was pretty laid back.

Gunther stayed with him mom, even after she gave him a stern look. Sighing, she turned her attention back to Cody. “I’m new to town, and I was wondering if you’d like to get together. Maybe show me around town?”

Was she asking him out? “Yeah. Sure.”

“Unless you’re seeing one of those women you were with.”

He chuckled. “Those were my sisters. Alyssa owns The Reading Corner bookstore, and Diane is a stay at home mom.”

Lily looked relieved.

“We’ll do dinner soon.” He tore a piece of paper off the report. “Let me get your number.”

She scribbled it down and handed it back.

“I’m cold,” Gunther complained.

“I guess I should go.” She licked her lips and he stared at them a moment too long. His thoughts turned to touching them with his own. They’d be soft…

“Yup. I need to get back into the station. I’ll call you soon.”

Lily took her son’s hand and turned quickly, giving Cody a chance to check out her backside in the skinny jeans. Damn, she had an excellent ass to look at.

Tearing his eyes away, he headed back toward the station. He wasn’t sure what to think of Lily. Who was she? Why had she moved to Brookfield? These were things he could ask her when they went out.

As he opened the door to the station, his gut dropped. Would it be a date? Or friends? It had been a long time since he’d been out with a woman.

* * * *

The thought haunted Cody all day as he tried to figure out if it was a date or not. The day had been busy, yet Lily still was the main thing on his mind. What was it about her that had hooked him so quickly? He knew nothing about her. How old was she? How did she like her eggs in the morning?

Whoa, he should not be thinking about how she liked her eggs.
Although…
She was attractive, and he’d love to get tangled up in his sheets with her. It had been a long damn time since he’d been with a woman. Lily really was a great choice.

Cody parked his car near The Reading Corner. Hopefully his down to earth sister could help, or at least give him some insight.

The door chimed as he entered the bookstore. Alyssa was seated behind the counter with a book in hand. She looked up and smiled at him, setting the book down as he walked toward her.

“What’s up, Bro?”

Cody leaned against the counter. “I need your advice.”

She touched her chest in mock shock. “Wow, I’m honored.” She giggled. “What can I help you with?”

Maybe this had been a mistake. He’d come this far, might as well get it over with. By morning, Diane would be calling with her two cents. “I ran into that waitress today.”

“The clumsy one from your birthday lunch?”

The adorable lady who spilled coffee on his crotch. “Yeah.”

“What do you need my help with? Thinking about asking her out.”

“Sorta.” He rubbed his palm across the smooth surface. “She asked me out, I think. She wants me to show her around town. I don’t know if it’s just because I’m a police officer, or if it’s because she likes me.”

“How did she ask?”

What the heck did Alyssa mean by
how did she ask?
She opened her mouth and said the words. “She just asked if I’d like to show her around town then proceeded to ask if you or Diane was my girlfriend.”

Alyssa’s face lit up. “Sounds like she’s interested.”

He liked the sound of that.

“When are you going out?” Alyssa asked, absently returning a pen to the jar by the register.

“I gotta call her.” Damn, he hated that thought. Calling someone for the first time was always hard. If she didn’t answer, he had to leave that awkward first message. If she did answer, he’d need a reason for calling and hope it wasn’t a bad time for her.

“Call her now.” His sister grinned like a school girl.

“Heck no. I’m not having you watch me make a fool of myself.”

She shrugged. “I could have helped. Where are you going to take her?”

He hadn’t thought about that. His mind had been preoccupied with figuring out if she liked him or not.

The Reading Corner’s front door swung open, and Alyssa’s husband, Connor, walked in carrying a large box from the local doughnut shop. Alyssa squealed. Cody guessed she must’ve been craving the sugary treat.